Facets
by teanote
Summary: This is a story about a should be opposing pair coming together. A "Human" and a "Monster", a combination that appears to be quite wondrous, but maybe... dangerous. After all, the combination was often separated in fiction and nonfiction. Never the less, fate decided they needed to go on an adventure.
1. It Truly Happened

**A/N: I am cross posting from Ao3 early in the morning, so the spacing may be off and other tiny errors may appear. If so, they will be fixed within 24 hours and this top message removed to reflect that. Thanks for checking this out!**

"A Name?"

The human child with skin and hair the color of chestnuts murmured the words, leaning their little body back in order to look up at a pair of tall and fluffy white goat-like persons who asked them such a kind question. It brought them joy to hear 'what is your name?' rather than 'what are you?' or screams of fear. The human's hair was in the way of their eyes until their hand brushed it aside to reveal they were the color of fresh roses. Their eyes shimmered as they considered the question... And found the answer, but the human was fond of the adorable features above them.

They stared for a moment longer before they answered...

"We hadn't decided."

[Because of a promise]

…

…

…

"Asriel? Are you keeping your little sibling awake?" A pair of goats had a child, but just like that, overnight, they had a pair of children and they required twice the attentive ear of one. The mother was the sterner figure of the two. The father, who was much taller, watched from behind her, curious of the dim red light peeking through the door she'd so carefully cracked open.

"No," Asriel wasn't the one to answer. The human child sat directly at the center of the room in the middle of a symbol of protection. Their back was turned and hutched forward in a futile attempt to shield something...

"Then who are you talking to, dear? It's late, you're so small and need so much rest, you know?"

"To someone only I can hear." The child turned their body around, their eyes were round and full when they heard a fluffy foot pad against the rug in their new room. A glowing red heart sat in their hands. "We will go to bed soon," their voice was hushed and nervous when another step was taken toward them. Then another after another, they curled over the glowing source into a tight ball. "This is a human thing-" Once touched, the child laid on their side on the floor, the light obscured and then disappeared when they were picked up. Tears streamed down their face as they looked at the fluffy monsters concerned and... Frightened features.

"Do you want to stay with me on the sofa?" The small child gasped at the words, then tears fell down their cheeks. When they hiccuped, they were pulled into the goat's gentle warmth. "How about we go to the sofa? Hm?"

"Tori-"

"Shh-" She squinted at her husband to keep out and move out of the way. With the path cleared she closed the door and wandered away to the stairs. "We'll see you in the morning," and that was that. No ifs, ands nor baahs.

[In our heart]

…

…

"Augh…"

Falling out of bed was ruder than an alarm clock could ever strive to be. The fragile lanky human sat up to discover that he was at the center of the floor in his room he'd just dreamt about, and could see a bright light peeking from under old thick curtains from where he sat.

"...Huh?"

_*You deal with the aftermath..._

"Huh." Less confused this time. The human rose from the floor tall and aching, but he diligently walked over to the window and opened the blinds wide, his eyelids squinting shut as a result. "Ahh... I prefer less light than this..." Still, he persisted in waking up the tender solid body by examining his tossed and tangled bed sheets. If the sun was peaking so intensely... Maybe he had time to fix it? He did so, pulling the sheet up and even, followed by the comforter over top and straightening his damp pillow directly on top of the layers. He frowned. That...was a little gross. He rubbed the edge of his mouth with the back of his wrist, no crust... He'd sweated through the night.

He wandered to his drawer to rummage through folded clothing that had the scent of caring linen and the toasty fur of mom. His mother must've been here not too long ago with the warmth the clothing had. Jeans and underwear in one arm and a blue shirt with pink stripes in the other, he turned around to leave-

"You're awake on your own today! My, you're making quite the strides, dear!'

"..But... am I late?"

"Wha—Oh! No! Isn't that joyous?"

"...Do I have time to take a shower?"

"If you don't boil yourself in there, yes," she chuckled behind a fluffy hand.

"Now it's joyous." The human was genuinely happy to hear the news that not only was he not late, he had time to be less gross!

"You can count on me, you'll get to school on time! I want to hear about the look on Alphys' face! Shoo, shoo. We can talk in the car, okay? And do you want breakfast?"

"Anything I can take with me... Paces..." He answered and walked out of his room with some pep in his step. His knees still felt stiff on the way out, especially down stairs, but with every step his vessel felt truly attuned to its surroundings. He didn't stay in the shower for long before he heard the encouraging call of mom that he trusted. She was a better time keeper than he was. In the mirror he looked into his red eyes... As always, they were marred with dark circles. He brushed his hair right back over those tragic windows and strolled out the bathroom.

"Hurry! By walking it would be five minutes… But by car it should be five seconds! Get to school on time!" It appeared that mother-dearest was more excited to be on time than the high school student.

Peers... Peers were outside of the school and enjoying the weather. He did it. He made it. He achieved...

Punctuality.

His smile was short lived, though, for a number of reasons.

"Yo! You're here before we're all inside and seated? Nice! You even look a lot less annoyed than yesterday!" Monster Kid's words always moved faster than his, or anyone's minds could handle. Also importantly, his heart was always in the right place. Although all that the human teen gave in reply to his friendly peer was a nod and a small smile, that was enough for the start of Kid's day.

"I'm happy for you!"

Although the human felt worry and a small hollow something in the cavity of his ribs, he couldn't help but be filled with the warmth of happiness given to him by another.

"...Thanks." The sounds of the school bell had obscured his quiet deep voice, but from the look of his classmate, Kid had understood. The bells kept ringing for a lot longer than the human anticipated, even as students filled the building it rang and rang, like it was beckoning for all to arrive indoors. Interestingly enough, the literal ringing in his very human ears stopped once inside of the building...

_*Carry on and take a seat._

Right... His shoes clicked uniquely behind the variable sounds of hooves, talons, and paws bustling through the room and into their seats. Alphys was always the first one here and usually, the last one out. Today was no different. Behind her desk and typing away, muttering a nervous 'good morning' a few times before it sounded like her voice could handle no more of that. The human related to her quietness and was patient for Alphys to come to, because that too, was relateable.

But relateable wasn't very... Distracting.

And although the human preferred the dim and artificial lighting of the classroom... Looking out the window would be a perfect classic distraction. He didn't feel like all of his energy was quite here yet to doodle, either with words or pictures... His new notebook was fresh seeing as he had accidentally left the old one in the library and another at home somewhere (he'll remember where later, hopefully). His eyes drifted to the door that almost everyone had come through.

...Will it open?

"Alphys aren't we supposed to get started? Everyone is here!" It was none other than Berdley's shrill voice asking the passive-aggressive question.

"Uh-" Alphys nervously looked at her class, then to the door, then upward at the clock and kept her eyes there. It was time to start seven seconds ago, but the clock no longer signaled that after a few encounters with Susie. "I-in a moment."

"Don't be so mean, everyone isn't here yet, Birdley..." Noelle's quiet voice politely followed after Alphys' answer.

When will it open?

"You mean to tell me she's still not expelled after yesterday?" The blue bird decided to challenge the gentle dear of the class. He openly couldn't understand how she was nice to everyone, even to those he believed she was clearly better than. He sought to correct and discourage her association to peers he believed to be a waste of time. His intent was awkwardly obvious to everyone.

"Shut up." The student who was dubbed 'momma's boy' had spoken up from the back of the classroom. Visibly tense with a frown twitching onto his face. The glare he had was shielded beneath his hair, but like a pointer, it was felt like a flick to the forehead.

"Oh." The instigator who stirred this pot was stunned for a moment, but he grudgingly squinted at the lone human who told him to shut up so rudely. "Don't think that your mom won't hear about her son's yesterday act or this morning's outburst." His beak displayed a smirk of confidence.

"Hey, hey, all this conflict is so unnecessary!" Alphys began by waving her arms as she flailed to the front of her desk. "Think of it as pre... Pre-break! Use it productively!" Alphys tried her best to fan the tension out of the air. "Yesterday's passed, and this morning hasn't officially started, so there's nothing to hear about."

Somehow, that actually worked. Had there been a visible meter, the class would be out of the red zone ready to peak and back into yellow that was a quarter full. There was stiffled giggles that were more nervous than humored, but worse, there were eyes from all directions on the slightly tense human who stared so intensely at the door. The human poured all of his hopes and optimistic energy into the direction of the door.

That very door then slammed open, and the clock hanging up above it fell and crashed face first into the floor.

"Cool. I beat the clock." Susie was the tallest and the strongest of the school body. There was theorized rumors that she was a Boss Monster despite her poor class performance. She had to look down at her teacher, and despite the little yellow lizard flinching at the simple passive action, the mauve dragon didn't falter like she would've the day before. "Thanks for waiting," she began before she motioned down to pick up the fallen clock. She could hear it ticking and it continued to as she put it on the edge of Alphys' desk. "It still works, so, there it is." She had a toothy grin when she turned around toward the class. Her eyes gleamed a golden light beneath her aubergine hair.

Susie felt a very positive energy flowing directly in her direction and couldn't help but bare her fangs in a wide smile that others would've felt pain in their cheeks to do. She wade her way through filled desks to the very back. Her empty stall was behind the human whose energy grew in her proximity. She sat down and gave her friend a thumbs up that was returned to her with two. Well, she had another hand so, she gave two back.

Tomorrow was now officially real, so This Morning could truly, truly begin.

"So..." Alphys started, rattling a box of chalk in her hand. "We have plenty of chalk this time! And that also means I can talk at you a lot less today and... Write down today what I wanted to yesterday. So uh... Imma do that. It'll...be a few minutes?" Alphys began with listing off each paired students for the group project due at the end of the month. Impressively, she wrote it down in order, to the very last two.

"Oh yeah, Kris."

_*Do you clearly recall now ?_

Kris nodded to himself before Susie nudged the back of her neighbor's arm with the clawed tip of her finger. "I forgot about that team thing. You remember what we're doing?"

"Ah... I never knew to start." He stiffled an amused laugh which appeared to be contagious. His new friend behind him did the same. Many eyes were still felt, so he looked over his shoulder to see Susie sticking out her fork tipped tongue at everyone. Ah.

He turned back around and did the same.

His cheeks then bloomed with warmth as he quietly laughed behind his hand. It was a pointless action, he was clearly laughing, blushing... and behind him was Susie loudly laughing with the purest honesty of anyone in the room. The various eyes now felt invisible to him shrouded in what felt like a toasty barrier.

"Ha ha... ha yeah, laughter's good for the soul, everyone, but look at the board, please! I used every color in the box! It can't be misunderstood! There's a color for everyone. Then I mimicked the style of impact in red for the deadline! Yellow high lights the really important instructions and white is literal flavor text! Be sure to not skip too much, lore can prove to be helpful you in this month long quest!" Alphys nervously looked around the room. She wanted to be done, she wanted everything to be done... she wanted to go back to the safety of her computer.

"S-so rather than move your desks and chairs around, um... Get out and make magic out of your project! T-take utmost care! S-show off your problem solving and independence skills! See you in two days..! As in Monday! Bye!"

*The luck that you always had came through... Glad to be apart of it.

He did feel quite lucky—and excited too. It was like ever since the battle against the King and the moment his soul shined on Susie, he felt synchronized to her moods? She was the first one out of her seat and her desk bumped into the back of his chair. He didn't even have to get out of his chair, Susie picked him up at the back of his shirt like a kitten to only stuff him under her arm.

"In legitimate games the last team goes first, punks. You all sort the rest." Susie then approached the door, and with impeccable team work, it was Kris to turn the knob and Susie to walk backwards so it would open. She flashed the victory sigh with her large hand behind her back and stomped out—quickly.

She cared more about the project today than yesterday, but she cared about the Dark World a lot more. She hurried to the closet, and although the halls didn't get dark, she tried to open it up and... It did not budge.

"What." She looked down to her right where she still suspended Kris under her arm. "I'm not bonkers, right? It happened right?"

"...It happened. Oh, put me down a sec'." Kris said. On his feet, he unzipped the pocket of his light jacket, revealing a ball of junk. "When we came back... I had this in my pocket when I didn't before... I think it's...Dark World stuff."

"Wha...?" She poked it with her finger and a black speck fell off it to the floor like a piece of charcoal. She observed as Kris rolled it in his palm, revealing other small things sticking out of it like a small stack of paper edges close together... Something doing its best to glitter, an unraveled paper clip, old paper sprinkles too, and a mac noodle. "So because it appeared in your pocket you think it's Dark World stuff? It looks like...stuff!"

"...Kay, so, I had a regular pencil when I was in class... But in the Dark World... I had a sword. Then when I came back a Halloween themed pencil I didn't have. I think it was when I sold my wooden sword for the spooky sword which I think are pencils here..."

"Man." She stuffed her claws into her coat pockets. Nothing in them. "I hate how dumb this sounds. I hate I don't remember having anything in my pockets! I had a sick axe! And damn good studs! I want to go back to that rather than be here." She kicked at the door that sounded more sturdy than it had the right. She motioned to kick it again, but Kris' smooth hands on her wrist stopped her. "I had ideas, dude..!"

Susie kicked the door anyway, and harder.

"Susie-" Kris tried to stop her, looking over his shoulder and down the hall. Others were observing them rather than taking advantage of class technically ending early. "Maybe there's another way." He whispered. "R'member we popped up in another room when we came to? Maybe the entry moves around..." She thankfully did not kick the door again. "Let's try-"

"O-oh... excuse me." It was Noelle. Kin to her soft spoken ways, Kris could always hear her more than others.

"What? You're always whispering." Susie replied, her mood was soured and not even the timid kindness in front of her could sooth. She hissed a 'what' at Kris who squeezed her wrist in an attempt to make her less tense at the world around her.

"I-I was just... concerned. Is there...something wrong with the door, S-Susie?"

"I dunno if there's something wrong, but I do know it sucks." She softly snorted at the nervous laughter the mayor's daughter had in reply to what she said. "Anyway, what do you want? Aren't you the top student? I would've thought you'd be racing to the archives or something?"

"I... I wouldn't say I'm the top student. Um, but none the less... I was wondering if you and Kris wanted to go have brunch?"

"Brunch?" The two outcast asked in unison. If the two knuckleheads took a moment to think about what she said...

"Oh. It's... When you didn't have breakfast but it's almost lunch time, so you're in that little window of breakfast and lunch and the types of foods it offers at that time..."

"Huh. That's pretty cool but I'd rather lunch then. I'm not a huge fan of breakfast food."

"Oh..." Susie's answer deflated her. She puckered her lower lip as she sincerely thought about the next move as Kris tried to encourage her to do yesterday. Thinking on the fly simply was not her style, she was as analytic and planned as her mother.

"Anyway, y'got an obnoxious partner. The sooner you get your project done the better, right? I doubt Alphys wants us to spend the entire month on one assignment. Or if she does I doubt our parents want her to. They're all freakin' out about college and all that it offers." Susie shrugged. If she went for anyone... it would be for her dad, if she could even make it, that is.

"Y-yeah. Well, I'll um... see you next week. Bye, Susie. Bye, Kris. Good luck on your starting draft!"

Kris wasn't good at talking on the fly, and Noelle was gone in a blink of his droopy eyes. He let go of Susie's wrist in favor to curl his fingers under his chin thoughtfully.

"So... What ideas did you have?"

"Huh—oh yeah. My idea was that time here moves way more slower than in the Dark World! So I imagined us getting way more done over there with plenty of time to kill here." Susie was used to looking down as she talked. However, this time while looking down at Kris she wasn't focusing all of her aura into being scary and was instead paying attention to his face. As she spoke, his mouth went from a small frown, turned upside down and had the nerve to expand. "A-are you laughing at me?!"

"No..." He had to process what he was thinking of, what he was feeling... He didn't know how to describe that he saw between the lines of how she wanted to go back to play with their otherworldly friends too in a place where time was both slowed down and fleeting. "I thought...similarly. Dark World is better than Here."

For a moment, silence hung beside the shuffling hands in pockets.

"Yeah." Another pause past. One of discomfort, the other of appreciated patience. "Y-you had an idea too, right? You got cut off earlier."

"Oh." He clasped his hands together, fingers laced. "Let's try the school's unkempt lot."


	2. Invited Everywhere

"Before we go..." Kris had trailed off in thought. His gaze had done the same as his words, drifting away toward a direction that was no longer at Susie. He stared at the depth of the hallway, measuring his decision both literally and figuratively. "We should get snacks first." Granola and yogurt just didn't cut it for this morning.

"Eh? You make it sound like we'll spend all day back—wherever there is." Susie's impatience was rearing its head again. She was a lover of food but the current predicament of being unable to find the Dark World was more of a bother for her. Besides, if they found a way back to the other world, they could just eat there.

"You could." At the moment Kris didn't find it necessary to elaborate on what 'could' be. He turned his gaze back to Susie, fully focused in the way he so keenly looked up to her. "How much money do y'have?" The human didn't falter one bit at Susie's scoff to his question. He expected it to be answered either with a value or the flat sum of no. It was a question, not the end of the world for him. He's gotten by on less before.

"Wow-how much do you have, huh?"

"Two bucks." He then emptied one pocket and presented two single bills from out the other. Other than that, he had the hypothesized cluster of junk that was worth two grand in the Dark World casually in his jacket pocket. He was able to handle the initial scoff from Susie, but not how it transformed into bewildered surprise with a smidgen of pity. That made him turn his head a little and stuff his hands into his pockets.

"Let's go." Seeing that posture crumple before her was like looking into a mirror. She wasn't used to cheering others up, but this was her first attempt by leading the way with a few steps toward the exit. She looked over her shoulder and saw that Kris followed, but he now had the tiniest, faintest pout on his face. "What's your idea of a snack anyways?" Susie asked when she walked forward again.

"..." He tried to find the words, but it was just a sound stuck in his throat instead. Somehow, this was more difficult and embarrassing than a haughty no would've been.

"I got twenty," Susie said by the time she opened the door. The crisp breeze was appreciated, she felt a nervous sweat coming on from the change of vibe from her new, maybe friend. If she didn't mess it up. "What I want is less than half of that," she tried to coerce Kris into talking again. He was always a quiet boy, but this quietness... She didn't like it. It was almost suffocating.

He quietly croaked, "I was gonna get hot cocoa..." However, it now sounded like Susie was now offering whatever he could chow on. "But a burger doesn't taste good with that so..." A small smile crept back onto his face as well as to his voice. It was easy to hear in the silence of nature around them.

"A whole burger is your idea of a snack? Nice. I can eat a bag of those in the right circumstance."

"I can eat two and some fries... but I have an easier time packing away chocolate and pastries..." He walked a little faster, enough to walk side by side and curiously look up at her again.

"Sweet tooth, huh." Although she never thought about Kris much, somehow in this moment, it still came off as a surprise to hear like she had expectations she wasn't aware of. The lone human was an endless sources of surprises when she paid attention to him.

"Huh... I never thought about it..." He mused aloud. Sincerely too, his fingers curled over his chin again, and he had a thoughtful frown on his face as if counting receipts in the form of memories. Kris didn't think about Kris either. He just was. Just as he suddenly appeared about ten years ago just like that. "You're right. It's a sweet tooth. I'm so good at eating sweets that my mom complains about it to- Oh."

He suddenly stopped walking.

"What?" Susie couldn't help but feel a ripple of anxiety roll down her neck at Kris' weird way of behaving. His moods flipped like he had two hearts inside, and his words reflected similarly. He was nice but he truly was just a little bit creepy...

"Are you familiar with...Sans?"

Susie paused in thought because the name did ring a strange and faint bell in her mind. She turned around to look down at Kris to answer his question with one of her own.

"The weird store that popped up?"

"Yeah—but also the owner of it. He named it after himself... A-anyway, he asked me for a favor-" She then interjected with another question.

"Y'accepted a favor of a stranger, dude?"

"Never mind that. He mentioned a younger brother who is too shy to come out of the house next door, where the store is. I said I would stop by tomorrow...so..."

"So?" Even faced with an annoyed pout from Kris, Susie did not see where he was leading off to in attempt to save himself from speaking past a week's worth of his verbal quota. She expectantly waited for him to answer and... he gave in.

"So by going to Sans the store, we can get snacks and I can fulfill my word to Sans the guy for a few short moments. Or attempt... It's not even guaranteed his brother will come out. I did that to Asriel all the time..."

Susie's large hands made an audible pat on her hips when the detour was explained to her. She was curious, but she was also miffed that they were moving further and further away from the Dark World by going deeper into town where Sans'(the store) was. She mulled it over for a moment, but watching Kris nervously fiddle with his fingers convinced her enough. He opened up to her, and she did feel some concern that he wanted to do a favor for a stranger... If they were friends now, she had to look out for him. On second thought...

They were friends. He's invited her just about everywhere he went.

"'Kay." She nodded to be extra clear before turning to take the lead again. "It's worth a shot." She looked over her shoulder again to observe Kris. Her head tilting at the angle exposed an eye to him. "No inviting him to the 'Unkempt Lot', though."

"Okay." Kris nodded with a smile on his face and followed after her lead. He curled his left hand over his chest to resist the sudden urge he had to awkwardly hold her hand for the walk to Sans'(the store).

When they arrived, Susie huffed. Not because she was out of breath, but at the crude sign the store decided to assert itself with. She hadn't noticed this before (or did she...), but it was the old bar! Griller's or Grilly's or something. Having 'Sans' scribbled off on the far edge was a little funny but irritating too. Her attention from the sign adjusted to Kris making his way to the entrance and opening it. She scurried over to look inside too.

"The heck! It looks like a bar inside!" Susie said. When she stepped in, the wooden floor creaked under her might. "It's not renovated at all..."

"Hmmm... More like a tavern," Kris mused. The floors squeaked under his human weight The door jingled when it closed behind them. It was dimly lit inside like a bar or tavern, and it still had a sitting stall up front just like one. The main oddity was a glowing tablet acting as a cash register... Well, from what he could see, it had just about everything. From light bulbs, to toilet paper and different kinds of edible goods. There was even a hot box where hot dogs were turning to stay evenly heated and cooked. "...It has everything..." Kris whispered in awe as he stared at the hot dogs turning.

"Yeah. I don't think you're supposed to trust food in a place like this, though. A vague thing I remember my mom telling me years ago..." Kris slowly turned his head when he heard Susie mention her mom. He was reminded he didn't know much about her. Although still only at the beginning, today had felt like they were always buddies. "Not that I listen, heh. I remember the pinecone incident if you've forgotten about it. But anyway, look's like those hot dogs are a buck, so you could get two if you're a gambling man."

"Mm." Kris said and turned his hungry gaze back into the box. All that the lovely hotdogs had going for them was their perfect color and the way the light glistened off of the cooked meat. The box suspensefully kept the smell inside... "Susie."

"Yeah?"

What's your mom like?

_*Do you not have things to do?_

"Um... There's nothing you want?"

"Well I didn't look around, so, I'll do that. I guess." She did as she said and wandered off between the shelves to look at what they had. Every corner was a mystery, there wasn't any signs to say what was where; it was an assortment of stuff and junk all over. She was used to an environment like that, though. Rather than frustration she had surprising patience looking at things before she made it to the wall of stuff that may...or may not be on sale. It wasn't like they had prices on them. What a weird place. At least Sans had chalk here, and the 16 count. She took it off the wall and saw it was the multicolored kind... the same one Alphys used, so she must've been here. "Are the dogs all ya want? Don't want a drink or anything?"

Kris wasn't one to yell, but he gave it a shot.

"I'm not picky!"

The mauve dragon snorted before muttering under her breath, "I didn't say did you want me to choose... hmph." She did, betraying her own words. She picked two kinds of sodas she liked to heighten her chances of her new friend liking something she picked, and liking either option she was left with. She approached the empty desk and clicked her claws on the counter.

No Response.

She then knocked her knuckles against the surface.

No Response.

"Hey! You! You want us to walk out of here for free?! You want us to crash the hot dog box?! Where are you!"

"i mean, if you wanted to, intended to...y'maybe would've, uh, did it already. hehheh you're not as rotten as y'think." The sounds of slippers dragging across floorboard was heard. With her height, Susie was able to see the short and pudgy monster in the form of a skeleton reveal himself.

"...Was he just napping before now?" Susie wondered to herself as she felt a bead of sweat down her eyebrow. "Couldn't be," she continued to think to herself, making sense of this enigma in front of her. "He was aware of our presence the entire time!" Something about him really made her want to keep up her guard now.

"heh, anyways, we're getting some 'dogs? nice." Sans inched himself from around the desk. He took a moment to give Susie a carefree glance and make his way to the familiar, so familiar boy. The curiosity the strange boy had was nostalgic. "hey."

"Hey..." Kris peeled himself away from the lovely box 'o'dogs and stepped aside. His eyes now followed every slow, turtle-like movement Sans had made toward the box. Once opened, the wonderful fragrance wafted into his human nose. He willed himself to not take a deep breath in, but he was powerless to the drool at the edge of his mouth. His stomach growled then and there, but it could not be helped as a human person. Kris was also used to being laughed at over his bodily functions and didn't mind at all when Sans shook his head chuckling. When Sans stepped back, Kris saw that it was up to him to serve himself the two dogs.

The buns were unceremoniously still wrapped up in a commercial brand bag. Seeing as he was the first to open it, it wasn't so bad. But wait...

"...Does it cost extra for barbecue sauce?"

"heh. for today? nah. even tho it's offensive, i like the absurdity of it."

"Kris, hurry up!" Despite her words, the tallest one in the building stomped her way over to the opened hot box. Oh. It smelled good... Wait. "There's more hot dogs than there's buns?"

"didn't you know? it's always been that way. sad t'say i can't own that stroke of genius."

"Tch. Bull. And there's like fifty of them in there!"

"30."

"Wha?"

"anymore than 30 and equilibrium is lost." Silence would've hung in the air if Kris hadn't returned to the scene, chewing on his unpaid hotdog.

"Wh—Kris!" It wasn't made official yet, but, Susie was intent on turning over a new leaf. She was inspired by wanting to forge a connection to the Dark World that she presumed to be strictly on school grounds. Associating with a punk who eats before he pays might ruin that...!

"Mm?" He had no idea what sparked her mood. He wasn't a reader of any mind but his own, and even that had less priority than snacking, such as now. He did have a channel left over to think about it a little. The only difference was Sans and that he was—oh. "I'm gonna buy it. I just have no where to put the other one to put sauce on it too." As he explained himself, he kept biting through it between words until it was no more. "Do you want to try one?" He observed at how she blinked, and before she could say anything he continued on. "Don't worry, I got it."

He handed Sans his two dollars before utilizing the tongs to pick up a fresh 'dog and placing it on a hotdog bun.

"There's ketchup, the sauce I came back with... but a plain dog is fine too." Susie dumbfounded, slowly reached for the hot dog in his hand. She measured to see if he was kidding, but it turned out he wasn't at all. She took it from his hand and, with the size of her maw, was able to eat it all in one chomp. She required to chew it too, but less than Kris.

She felt her cheeks become warm from the gesture and turned to the tank of spinning dogs to distract herself. ...It was good anyway. Super good. Completely worth Kris' last dollar given to her...

"heheheh... i have a deal. i'll let you take all the hot dogs except 3 and 3 buns for 20 smackers."

Kris observed Susie squint of... consideration? At the offered food.

There was consideration, but she was also suspicious of the man selling the items. He always seems to know things. Sure, twenty dollars was an average amount of money to have on hand, especially for a teenager but... She felt like this monster had some kind of powerful ability he was exploiting. Her trip to the Dark World taught her to pay more attention to those around her. It allowed her to put what her father taught her into practice too. But... why Kris? And to what cause did Sans gain from presumably using his powers on him- or them? She didn't like this Sans character but...

"Fine. I'll do it." Susie said and put the chalk aside in favor for the hot dog deal. "Also I want a drink with this deal. I left it on the counter up front." The food was good. Her stomach didn't hurt and Kris' human belly didn't hurt, so she could at least get something out of this bizarre encounter.

"ok. mind if you get the paper bags, kris? y'can't miss 'em up front."

"Okay." Kris hurried to the front of the store and it was only a moment before he returned with a layered large paper bag with some tissues at the bottom of the first. He also had one of the soda in his coat pocket. "Susie, can you hold the bag for me, please?"

"Uh—yeah. Sure." She was careful to not puncture it with her hands as she held the bag down low. Kris carefully put the bare hot dogs into the bag first, counting aloud each one. When he reached the final three, they were placed on buns and then on top, with the very last being slathered in barbecue sauce. This implied that he once again, put Susie before himself and she will get around that later. Kris took the bag from her with the widest smile on his face, oblivious to how on edge Susie was with Sans.

Still, she handed the strange man her twenty dollar bill. With the swipe of his hand over her palm, she felt... a weird chill she could not place from his hand. It lingered for her as she tried to peel her eyes off him and his beady white ones but could not.

"too bad you kids are here so suspiciously early. my kid brother isn't home in the mornin'. comin' back later today?"

"No." The teenagers looked at one another in brief surprise that they had said the same thing before looking back to Sans. Susie decided to continue taking the wheel and added, "We got a project to do. So thanks. Bye."

"thanks for makin' me 22 bucks richer. c'ya later. don't forget about my lil' brother. "

"Haha... I won't, Sans." Kris knew what it was like to be forgotten. "What's your brother's name? I know what it's like to be a... shyer younger brother." Kris decided to open up. Although they haven't met yet, he felt a connection to this mystery monster. "Ow-"

...He also felt a heavy mauve hand fall on top of his head in a rough pat. He could tell Susie was holding back her power but it still hurt.

"heh." Sans was an impeccable reader of vibes. This girl didn't like him... Didn't trust him. She clearly had powers she didn't know how to use, great powers. Sans chuckled to himself, aware of how he was validating her instincts by being fascinated about seeing her powers honed. He respected her none the less. "papyrus." As well as respected Kris and his question. It solidified to him that this kid was someone who kept their word and felt strongly about others. Sans flipped a hand and parted ways by heading back toward the shadows of his desk.

"C'mon, Kris." Susie commanded then swiftly took his hand into hers. His hand wasn't small by any means, it didn't get completely obscured by hers. His fingers peaking out wrapped around hers and briefly squeezed by the time they were a yard away from the store Sans. "What?"

"It's nothing..." He smiled. He could feel himself smiling stupidly and lowered his head.

"Speak your mind, man."

"Eheh... There's nothing there... Let's go back, and I'll show you how to get to the lot."

When she made the move to get going, he squeezed her textured hand again, never letting go for the entire trek back to the school grounds. It almost seemed like Susie forgot they were even holding hands, but how could that be with the way she lead the way without yanking his arm or dragging him around? She was so mindful... It made him feel... acknowledged. Outside of school grounds, he squeezed her hand tighter for her to stop walking toward the doors to go inside the usual way.

"Mm-nn." He pointed to the side of the building. "We have to go around it to a door that looks like it should be locked, but it never is." Susie nodded, and as wonderful as it was to experience holding hands with a peer, he managed to let her hand go and lead the way. The big bronze door had a lock style where one slipped metal into the center but that was no where to be seen. It looked quite rusty, even, with enamel chipping away to the ground. He grabbed the handle and pulled at the heavy weight, but with a large bag of hot dogs he was unable to make it budge.

"Heh, stand back. I got this, you got the cargo, a'ight?" She smirked when Kris nodded and stepped back. She then grabbed both handles and pulled them open for sunlight to filter through. Weird. When her eyes adjusted she saw a lot of tall grass...but a cut path. Looking backward she didn't need to ask, Kris answered her question.

"I come here often. ...It's like." He paused to find the words. He talked quite a lot today but... Susie was worth the effort. She always put effort back toward him. "My sanctuary. Uh—It doesn't look like much. Yet. B-but further in... I..." Hope you'll like it too. "You can come here whenever you want, okay? It's straight forward from here..." He couldn't help but feel his cheeks grow even warmer with how she gestured for him to go forward with a half smile of curious mischief. "I'll...show you."

It was straight forward.

"You cut this path?"

"Yeah."

"Why leave all the grass?"

"To make other people not want to come over... You can cut it down more if you like..."

"Nah... It's your space, I don't mind."

"I don't mind either..." He didn't have his pocket knife, but he assumed Susie's claws could trim the thin foliage in the future. The tall grass ended to an open field that looked like it could've been a baseball field that never was. There was a large tire swing hanging from a tree that Kris rolled here and set up all on his own. Then a more traditional set of plank seat swings also by him. There was also a small plot of golden flowers curated to be at the center of the field. Other, more colorful flowers were at per base. Purple, blue, yellow and orange...

If his hands were free he would've fiddled with his fingers with how Susie silently stared ahead without a word...For awhile too. He still couldn't read her mind... And his own began to crowd with nervous thoughts.

"...How long you had the place? It looks like it took awhile to make."

"Since middle school..."

"That's cool. And no one else?" She asked, pointing at the swings. "You mean to tell me you rolled a tire here and tied it up? Made those swings?"

He nodded per observation and finished the list for her, "Planted the flowers... This is all mine..."

"Wow." She sheepishly scratched her head, her mane bouncing from the action. After half a minute, she walked toward the swings and sat on one of the simple ones, already gently rocking back and forth. Kris joined her on the other, handing her a breaded hot dog. "Nah. Take the ones with the bread."

"'Kay..." He did so, sitting them on his lap and handing her the bag. Observing her pick up a pair and chomp them in seconds. "...Thanks, Susie..."

"Thanks, Kris."

If he were standing, his feelings channeling to his knees that would've been buckling. Instead those feelings funneled into swinging back and forth, gaining the momentum of flowing back and forth higher off the ground.

The day was still new and barely past, but, it already was the best of his life.


	3. A Shot of Faith

Compared to the Dreemurs, Kris thought himself a fast eater who could pack things away, but eating with someone new showed him maybe that wasn't so absolute. Susie ate the hotdogs like potato chips. She was done in a matter of minutes where it took him closer to twenty or more to eat his two breaded dogs and have a corner of soda. Susie on the other hand had finished the rest of the beverage in a single swig into her maw. Halfway through the last hotdog Kris had to stop rocking on the swing. When he was finished, he looked up at the now cloudy sky. In the tranquility of the moment he took a whiff of the air... It carried a peculiar scent Kris often seen on store shelves.

"It's going to rain..." He mused aloud and tucked some waving strands of brown hair behind his ear. He then tilted his head to have a look at Susie who so obviously confirmed his observation through a weather app on her smart phone! He huffed in disappointment.. it took the mystery out of his attempted forewarning to her.

"Lame, I don't even have a hood for today." Susie grumbled and pocketed her phone before getting out of the tire swing. "I like the rain but I don't like to be in the rain." She stuffed the balled up paper bag into her jacket pocket before her hands burrowed into her pants pockets. "Where do you wanna go?"

"...To keep looking around the school." It was disappointing to Kris that the gate wasn't anywhere in his sanctuary, but it did not make him any less focused on finding a way back to the happier world. "I was struck with a new idea."

"Man!" Susie started before ruffling his hair with her massive palm. "Start with 'I have an idea' first! It's like you talk backwards sometimes."

"Heh heh heh..." Kris could not help but to chuckle, and with the delay of sharing his idea he was rocked back and forth from the top of his head as if she could shake the thoughts out from his ears.

"What's that noggin of yours hiding? I just realized this is some stupid puzzle for you to solve. So out with it!'

"It's called The Dark World and... When we first went there, we had to find a light switch we couldn't find so... What if-"

"Out with it!" His giggling only made her shake him back and forth more, and it didn't seem to make him stop! It wasn't like she was tickling him yet he was behaving as if she was! Stupid boy...!

"Okay-okay!" He laughed while flailing helplessly against her powerful hand on top of him. "What if we blew the fuse to the school? The entire building being black has to open a portal to somewhere, wouldn't you say?" Her hand was still on top of his head, but rather than a rough ruffle, it was a pat of approval instead.

"Alright, sounds cool. I have no clue where it is, though. I bet you do, huh?"

"Yup." Susie's hand lifted from his head. He stood tall and puffed his chest out. "I never messed with it, though..."

"Don't over think it. I'll just throw something into the box-"

"No, we'll just flip switches until it turns off... You're the strongest in school, no use getting in trouble." Kris paid mind to her crossed arms and the way her huff made her bangs flop, but he didn't change his mind. "Or if anything... I'll take the heat, okay? How about you stay in the corner of the hall and I go to the switch? That way you can make your escape if you need."

"Kris-" Susie reacted in challenge to that idea but couldn't find out how to express it. Kris always put her before himself...! She wasn't sure if that was how things were supposed to be or if she should tell him to knock it off. She clenched her fingers into a fist of protective frustration, not realizing her pressured emotions was the way she expressed her feelings of their friendship. She aimed to look out for him and to protect, he aimed to... whatever he was doing, always putting her first. "Why would you set yourself up to take the fall!?"

"...Because you said it yourself before we went to The Dark World. It's your last shot before it's all over so... I will protect that, and I will succeed."

"Now wait a hot second here, buddy. I don't need you being some kinda sacrificial lamb. You may come from a family of goats, but y'a'int one, got it? We're going to the switch together!" She growled when Kris shook his head and put up his hands defensively. The mauve dragon tensed at the gesture. Running away was not her thing, but yet, she found herself faltering.

"I'm not sacrificing myself... It's not worth the trouble for you to hang around it. If you're no where near the fuse, if you're by the exit, there's no way you can be at fault for me being weird and experimental. That's just how everyone is going to look at it. ..Please trust me." Kris balled his fists to stay firm in his vision. Susie huffed and turned her head before she walked down the path out of his haven.

Kris decided to take that as an agreement.

And he was right.

Susie hung out front of the school while he wormed his way past the janitor's closet to the control room. If he were to describe it, it would be like going under the hood to the advanced settings of a sleek web browser. His eyes twinkled at all of the large switches in front of him at the breaker.

_*Typically... There is one that would make them all pop at once... It has been so long that I cannot remember..._

"I think... it would be... The weird one that says CAT. Super switch seems too obvious," Kris mused aloud and pulled it back. It was a stiff switch, it had to be it—And it was. All the other switches popped in succession and there was a flash of blue that made him jump back, then finally, nothing. It was dark, and it was quiet besides the sound of everything whirring to a stop. He had succeeded like he said.

And just as he theorized...

The Dark World reacted to the darkness here. It was now too quiet, he couldn't even hear the echo of his shoes when he turned around.

_*Ah~ We hav d. _

"But without Susie..."

*I wish to go back! Who can say the portal will be open should the lights turn on then off again?

"...I can't go without her."

_*I will go without you, then. I detest the uncertain._

Swiftly, a hand dived through the vessel's chest. Knees tensed and feet firmly planted into the floor before a bottomless void. In the darkness, a light glowed red, a tender soul in the palm of the dripping hand it was held in.

_*That is what you want? To gamble once more? Did faith ever work in memory? ... Best wishes!_

The soul was tossed past the open door where darkness still reigned, but sunlight filtered through the halls. It tumbled, rolled and rolled...

"Eek! W-what is that?!" Past yellow feet the solid red light rolled. "O-oh... Maybe I should get the police...! I can't go anywhere in this school alone...!" Before the same thing could happen to this soul, it pulsated brightly and Alphys had halted to gawk at it.

Phew... She can't go out, she can't find Susie out front and waiting. …

"Nooo...Noooo! Not only did I lose my fanfic review, I don't know what to do! That can't be a human soul! Isn't that...Isn't that just lore?" Alphys had then gasped. There was only one human here! "Kris! Kris are you alright?!" She ran further into the school but at least it wasn't anywhere to the maintenance room this time.

...Bless her.

The heart turned up right and thought real hard about where it was torn away from... Legs, legs it had legs to run and to make noise. Suddenly, it had legs too, making the tiniest pit pat on the empty halls. The front door that this soul had no chance of reaching quickly opened loudly. Sun light washed down the hallway... and with it came steps that were heavy but none the less quick. The soul glowed brightly! Shined like a stop light for attention! It didn't have words but hopefully...it had vibes.

"What the heck is that? Kris! Kris! Where are ya?!" She walked further in and although she intended to look up, she couldn't help but to look down at the weird sight before her. She crouched down to look at it hop up and down. "A heart with legs? How stupid looking." She laughed and went to pick it up, but it dodged her hand. "Whoa-" She tried to pick it up again but then it decided to run.

Run around a corner flashing so brightly its pulsating light could be seen.

"Ah hell...! Kris! You're missing out! Where the hell are you? Check out this stupid thing! I think it's from that place!" It didn't cross her mind that Alphys could be running around looking for him too. Luck would have it, however, she followed the stupid heart, determined to pick it up and share with her missing friend. She was lead to a door she hadn't seen before and... on the bottom was a heart shaped hole like out of old cartoons. She couldn't help but laugh and open the door.

But where was it? She didn't see the light anymore. ...So now she hesitated.

"Kris?" No reply. She waited... and then closed the door. "You must've tripped into the new world, you clumsy dork." No way he would leave her behind like that. He promised. She walked further inside and suddenly, she lost footing but it didn't feel startling nor alarming. It felt... welcoming, like going to sleep after a frustrating day. "Looks like I did too." She smiled to herself as she looked up.

Somehow, although there was nothing but darkness, she could see the distance she was traveling to where she wanted to be.


	4. Assigned Huh

Susie landed on her back, and when she motioned to stand up, she saw her sparkling studs back on her arms in the corner of her eye. Grinning, she then stretched her arms out in front of herself. She admired her pinkened tone sparkle under the spikes of her studded bands. She thought about her ax, and with a slam toward the ground it surely motioned into existence.

"Nice!" She flipped it over her shoulder to make it disappear as it came. The mechanism behind this type of magic was similar to bullet-magic to her. Simply dusting off her claws, she had expressed satisfaction of being transformed and in The Dark World, but she wasn't content.

"Kris! Can you hear me now?!" She gave him six seconds this time and there was no reply. "Okay! How dare you go on ahead, punk!" She decided to give him an additional four and nada. She stomped her foot and gave him what felt like a whole half of a minute. He really wasn't near by and worse of all, everything about this area looked new to her. Foliage was nonexistent this time. Instead, the place looked more apt to be a factory of some kind. She walked on ahead and weirdly enough, it started to gently rain. She gritted her teeth and kept moving forward. Waiting out rain alone sucked, and she figured her phone probably still did not work in the other world, so she pressed onward. Alone.

She was really feeling it this time. Loneliness.

The sky felt bleak, the area felt hallow... Her excitement was running cold... Or was it the rain? She looked up. There was no sky but there was enough rainfall for her eyes to squint to protect from the droplets. She felt too prideful to call for Kris again, and she doubted she would see Lancer anywhere near by. At least have some poor by-stander she could vent on!

"Yo! Is there anyone around?! Or is it some new ghost town?! Geeze!" Finally, she heard signs of life here. It was the sound of a heavy can rolling by into view. "Show yourself! I'm bored!"

"Do you have to be so loud?" The voice sounded like an old digital recording. "Are you always loud?"

"Well, for as long as I can't see you, yeah!" She waited with her arms crossed in a way that showed she had sharp claws ready to roll just in case. What literally rolled onto stage surprised her, it was a boxy robot looking like a glorified cassette player balanced on one wheel. It had goofy large gloves and an old fashioned antenna. "Whoa, a retro 'bot."

"Wow, why don't you just call me old."

"Hey, you said it not me." Susie shrugged with a toothy grin. Already talking to something—someone, had alleviated some of the cold dread she was beginning to feel. She was distracted enough to ignore the drizzling rain. "But who cares about age or looks right now. Did you see someone else go by?"

"I saw a few pass by here, actually! Two look alike and strange!"

"Look alike how? Like a human?"

"A human? Hm. I don't know how to describe what a 'human' is. Can you help me out here?"

"Yeah they're like... shaped a little like me. They don't have a maw or anything, their mouths are flat and weird. A pointy small thing on their faces they claim to be a nose. Goofy looking ears on the side of their heads uh... The hair varies a lot? Not like manes..."

"Yeah yeah! I saw two of those!"

"Was one in armor?"

"Yes! The other one wasn't. They had a bea-u-tii-full dress! The other "human" kept something in glass that was glowing red~ It reminded me of one of my favorite fairy tales! I couldn't see what it was, but the way that human could leap was ah-may-zing! I wish I had legs like theirs... Anyway. You can only go straight ahead from here!"

Susie cooly walked up ahead but stopped when next to the uniwheel robot. She turned her head to the side and down before she said, "come with me."

"Oh! Are you inviting me out?"

"Tch." She whipped her head back up and walked ahead. "Don't make it sound like a date, weirdo. It's your turf, don't you think it's a good idea to show others around it?"

"Ohoho~ Not really, but if it allows me to be in the spotlight then sure?" The robot then wheeled over beside her unable to stop to keep up with her. "My assigned name is Matt Note, may I have the privy to yours?"

"Assigned, huh." She thought about it for a moment. She could get how a robot would say that but... "I guess we're all 'assigned' names now that you put it that way. Anyway, I go by Susie." Everyone is given a name. Her parents gave her the name Suzanne and along the way 'Susie' kinda just happened, no matter how irritable she gotten about it.

"Susie! What a pretty name! How I long for a cute name too... But I can make do with mine, maybe spruce it up a little."

"Eh, don't force it... Someone else might give ya one when the moment's right or even when there's no moment. Names are like that."

"You don't say?" It was a genuine question from the romantic robot.

"Yeah. We're born and come with a given name and whatever else that comes along the ride. Y'know how you work with having one wheel and how I'm bigger than almost everybody? I even know a dude with no arms and it doesn't get him down at all. Created, born, it's the same thing to me—and not worth thinkin' about." She had her fingers pressed on her temple. She felt an oncoming drag in the form of a mild headache. "So to change the topic, what's out here?"

"Oh. More things like me. Gears, bolts, electricity and various mech." Matt Note waved a hand as to say it wasn't much. "I hate it here. I want splendor, glamour... entertainment! You won't find any of that here besides at the theater, but that's a ways off! On the way over there, though, is ruins of a kingdom in the way. What kept that jank together was the old seal of the strongest shop keep! Such drama~"

Susie wasn't surprised to hear about there being more robots in the immediate area. She just hoped they were as variable as the last place was. They had all kinds of creatures there and so much to see. She didn't have much interest in tech, but she figured she can't be too picky with being back into The Dark World again. Although she listened, one word had really stood out to her to weave the conversation around it.

"Ruins? Whew boy we gotta find the human I'm lookin' for." She did play some video games and the last time she was here, it was kind of like being in one. Ruins always, always had puzzles in them. "See, he's good at puzzles. I would wanna smash everything in, and from experience, that doesn't work."

"I see. Despite being a type of computer I don't really care for puzzling either so let us find this..."

"Kris. Also that other may be human that's carrying a red thing sounds like it belongs to me. I spotted it first!"

"What is it? I felt vibes from it..."

"I dunno. It's a heart with legs and it seems to be alive too. I wanna at least show it off to my friend."

"Well, I wasn't keeping tabs on time... but it wasn't long after you appeared that the other 'maybe' human frolicked off with it. I'm not going to make my wheel go any faster cause I only got one."

"Heh don't worry." Susie said before willing her ax into existence again. "I can stop them in their tracks from a mile away. You want splendor, drama and entertainment, right? Wait until you catch me in a fight!"

The wheel screeched too a halt and their hands covered their face as if they had a gaping mouth to cover.

"You're going to fight?"

Susie casually stopped to give Matt Note her attention. It was truly no big deal to her.

"Yeah. Why not? I don't think anyone gives up a treasure without one and I'm sure as hell ready to fight for it. If the treasure keeper is a wuss then there won't be a fight I guess. I don't feel like hearin' Ralsei's mouth."

"Oh my, you personally know dear Prince Ralsei? I hear he's the sweetest fluff~"

"Yeah. He's Saccharine. He's supposed to channel some of that energy into a cake, though. So we gotta go near by uh—Card kingdom? Whatever it was called-"

"That's the ruins, though?"

Susie halted and turned around again before saying, "wha? I was just there? What do you mean ruins?"

"Recently it collapsed. Ralsei was over there too and had to go back to his-"

"Wait-" She waved her free hand in front of her for Matt Note to stop talking, to go back a few steps. "Is everyone dead or something?" Her voice had heightened and it didn't go back down in pitch as she continued. There was a slight tremble of...fear in it. "How does a whole place fall apart but this area seems alright?"

"I don't know what happened or how it happened. All I know is that the kingdom fell apart and Ralsei went back to his castle. There's a few witnesses wandering around too. One of them kept me company before moving on. So I wouldn't say everyone is dead but... it's a mess over there."

"Kch..." Susie tensed. Her free hand clenched into a tight fist, and the one holding her ax over her shoulder shook. She doubt the robot would know about Lancer or his rotten dad... She felt like she had to go on ahead. "I know you said you don't want to go faster, but d'you mind if I do? I gotta...I gotta get going!"

The robot's knuckles rested on the sides of itself like one would do if they had hips to be sassy with.

"Yes I mind, but that doesn't mean I can stop you either. We only just met, so I get it." It flicked its wrist at her to carry on. "I'll keep making my way forward. So we will meet again, Sew~See~ I'm certain. Ciao!"

Had it been any other time someone had said her name like that, she would've glared them down. All Matt Note received was a quick leer before she sprinted off.

It had stopped raining, but Susie didn't stop running. She didn't count the minutes and she couldn't take in the world around her. Everything blurred into the sound of hallow wind in her ears. It wasn't long before it felt like she was running to no where.

"..."

And stopped.

She hated this burning feeling in her eyes. The feeling of splinters in her throat... She felt small for pawing at her eye with the back of her hand, no matter how strong it was. It brought her back to being in a corner as a small girl. She did not cry, she refused. ...But the urge was putting up a challenging fight with her. Her ax left her in favor of resting her hand over her chest. It felt like something was unfurling inside where her heart should be. Clenching it felt like it was keeping it at bay but it felt like... she didn't have the choice either. That a nightmare was bubbling through the cracks of her fingers-

"Suzanne?"

"Huh-" Susie gasped and looked up. If it weren't for the armor or the small bicolored cape, she wouldn't have known that was Kris who reached out to her with words. He was about a yard away from her but she could see his bangs was no longer covering his face, it was gently combed to the side revealing both of his crimson eyes. She couldn't recall a time she saw them so clearly but... they had no sheen to them, it was almost...unnerving. His voice also came out... lighter. The depth of the pitch was the same but it was delivered with less of a pause... It was when he walked up to her to close the gap she realized something else. "What did you call me-"

"I said your name. Suzanne." He said so firmly. A hand rested on his hip where the hilt of his sword was and another hand curled under his chin a little.

"Why-" She shook her head to get herself back together. Her voice wasn't normal either, it was feathery and showed vulnerability. She disguised clearing her throat behind a growl and a glint of her yellow eyes. "Why did you go off so far?! You completely left me behind!"

"He did no such thing." The body in front of her leaned all their weight on the left leg where the sword was, hand never leaving it either... "I was searching for him on you. I did not expect-"

"What the hell are you blabbering about, Kris?!" She felt a cold chill wash down her neck to her finger tips. "I'm not in the mood for stupid games! Knock it off!"

"I am not playing with you." Still calm, firm, if not stern. There was an odd cold confidence that was extremely different to Susie, not that this person cared. "I did not expect him to not catch you. Did you not see him at all? The red soul."

"The red wha-" She gasped again, froze even, as her mind played back the recent memory. The little red thing hopping up and down. Leading her to the closet... "No! Shit! You're kidding! That doesn't make sense?! How is Kris a heart—a soul? What?" She did not feel comfort in the way a familiar face narrowed their eyes at her... He felt like a stranger all over again. She felt so uncomfortable she forgot to mention a vital detail about Kris' apparent where abouts. "You called that Kris, but you're not against me calling you Kris. So what is it, huh?!"

The narrowed expression did not lift much, but it did a little. A frown was clear and evident on the face... Kris or whomever was driving the body was...thinking. They lifted a hand in a motion to 'stop' at her getting ready to yell again. This did not feel like Kris at all. They were too cool, confident, and very collected. Too serious and proper too...!

"Never mind that for now, he is in danger as he is. You saw him, where did you last see him-"

"At least tell me something first!"

"The answer is too complicated for that now! Along the way I could tell you, but we must make haste!" 'Please' was at the tip of their lips but a prideful streak was spotted in the personality of this body. Susie knows, she does the same as this person.

"A robot here saw it in a glass jar held by a maybe human. But if they said they looked like you...then it probably confirms it. You came, then the other human came, then me..."

"We need to hurry." The whomever controlling Kris stated and went east. It couldn't have been north, they came from there. It wasn't south, Susie came from there. It was either east or west, and they hoped to make a lucky guess. They were not as lucky as 'Kris', anything but. "Fortunately there are no foes. I do not think a darkner can react to a soul."

"Huh?" Susie quickly followed, this person was quicker than Kris. So Kris could move faster if he used the energy to do it...! "What would a soul do to a monster?"

"It is complicated-"

"Are you just being lazy?!"

"I am being honest. I will explain to you when the time is right."

"And when is that?! I can multitask! Wouldn't you fuck off to somewhere when we get Kris back?! Are you avoiding me?!"

"When we retrieve Kris. And no, and also no." The mystery answered all of Susie's questions, remaining steadfast on propelling forward. Had she not been so angry, she could see the two of them were on the same page to some extent. They were protective of Kris. "I could live without him. But that is opposite of what I want."

Susie tripped in her speed walking, but did not fall over nor stop. She felt her own heart skip a confusing beat, like it resonated with that statement. She was rendered silent... It was hard to find the words with the weight of her emotions. With the confusion of this trip going disastrously wrong. There was silence between them. With that silence, and the concentration of the mystery entity looking for a way into the building... An idea dimly shone on her like a flicking bulb in the darkness.

"What happened."

The body turned around, an eyebrow raised. They could still sweat, there were beads running down their forehead. Their eyes were dull, but their mouth and eyebrows still conveyed emotion. Strain, and... empathy? Maybe. Something.

"Elaborate?" They even sounded less harsh.

"That turned Kris into that, that got him in trouble. What happened." She swallowed and clenched her fist at the hesitation again. She did not want to be avoided anymore, at least not with this question.

"Tch..." Another gesture Susie was relating to. This whole scenario was this person's fault. It was all their fault, they knew it, and they acknowledged it. They wanted to fix it, but they felt bad and guilty inside, and to let it out was hard, but importantly... they were trying. Their fists were balled too, like hers. "I just...I wanted to be here. I wanted to know what the fountain meant. What this world meant. I did not want to wait for you. He did not care, he promised to be with you so I... tossed him like a softball." The shared(?) face blushed as their balled fists went up and down in a flustered emotion. "We done this before! He came back before! Many times when we did not agree! I expected him to be with you! I never been without him!"

They whipped around and slammed their sword into the double-leaved door that was made of such heavy metal. There wasn't a scratch or a dent.

"I learned I have no power without him! So I stopped moving and waited! But I realized it also meant he has no power either! I am frustrated of my shortsighted decision!"

_You're scared.._

Susie walked up to them and placed her hands on familiar shoulders. They jumped under her palms and soulless eyes looked up. Despite the lack of brightness and sheen, the fear was clear, so clear, and it almost felt like looking into a mirror...

_We just became friends... but I feel the same way. I'm scared without him._

"Thanks." It was an awkward start from Susie, but maybe the thanks will come to this ghostly being in hindsight when the drama was over. Susie said what she said, and felt she could move onto the next step. "I can tell you got a good head on your shoulders even though you don't feel like it right now. I can do all the heavy work, but you," she tapped the forehead before she continued. "Keep this clear okay, and we can do it. We will find him." She watched as they slowly looked away to the door. They quietly stared as if they were meditating, almost. "He's in there, huh?"

"...I cannot be certain but-"

"Yeah, he's in there, you just think too hard." She patted shoulders under her hands before she spoke more. "Step aside, you somebody. This door is goin' down." She was pleased to be listened to, it even felt like trust. She willed her ax back, the bridge had a purple aura dance atop it. She admired it, no way she could channel her magic like this in the over world without breaking laws. Still, she had a job to do and a friend to find. She sprinted forward and swung her ax at it. The doors split down and open in a single strike of hers. Inside there was light made from lonely light bulbs every few paces... soft sounds of weary engines... With her bum rush, there's no way to tell if the doors was doctored close or not, but it was worth looking, maybe.

"... No. Not there. I am certain." They turned around. "We will have to back track and then go west." They combed fingers through their hair to try to calm themselves as well as keep the strands out of their eyes.

"Fine. I'll take your word for it. Is now a good time, though?"

"Mm." They agreed but still paused to mull things over. They wanted to make this short and prompt... to the point somehow. "We decided on the name Kris because it sounded like our names together. However, it is up to him to reveal to you the other half of the locket." They elegantly placed a hand over their armored chest. "I am Chara."

It felt so weird to say that name... They hadn't heard it in so many years. It technically didn't exist anymore beside in memory. It felt like speaking it out into The Dark World was alright, though. It felt like some memories were just meant to be here. That was why... That was why Chara wanted to be here so much. To learn, to comb the secrets of this place. It felt so familiar for a place that's supposed to be another world. That robot looked familiar, Ralsei looked familiar... They remember a strange monster mentioning the name Susie before here and now here a Susie was... They shook their head to cease the disorganization.

"I want to call you Suzanne-"

"Why?"

"Because I like it. ...It is a selfish answer, and I have a just as selfish request. Could you please honor the name Kris?"

"Hmph," Susie turned away and crossed her arms. It was goofy looking with such a large ax in the mix of that. 'Liked' Suzanne... Something so simple stuck, and it was annoying... But not as annoying like gum. Maybe more like glitter. "When he's back. I don't want to lose sight of the other person I know. I know Kris. You won't tell me what his name was. You sound like some kinda ghost."

"I was one, yes, and found a home in...Kris. I think it would be more meaningful for Kris to tell you rather than hear it all from me. But you have met me too. You laughed at my masterpieces town folk called pranks. You heard me play the piano..."

She thought about it. Those were all years ago when they were little children and not teenagers verging onto insanity and misadventures in a pocket space. That's why this ghost called her Suzanne. 'Susie' plagued her middle school years until she reclaimed it for herself in high school. ...But it did make her wonder if she should carry it into college. Maybe.

"Did you draw those weird drawings back then?" She watched as the 'ghost' walked ahead and followed, expecting an answer, even as their feet carried them faster and faster.

"Yes. I am not going to divulge in secrets, you will have to figure it out yourself."

"Oh I will. I am going to make sense of this. So far I know ghosts are different from souls for one! And that you're possessing for another!"

"Heh...Maybe." Susie wasn't completely wrong. Chara was once a bitter child with the weight of a sad little world on her shoulders. Lost to zealous suicide and then brought back to life by the sheer kindness to all the other half of Kris used to be. So kind he had always risked himself to make the impossible possible, and in that very kindness abandoned everything to save her too. Chara respected that, they felt...indebted almost, even with their disagreements. Sometimes it felt like being a sibling to oneself over the long years they've spent together here in Hometown, surrounded by familiar faces but different monsters all the while...

And Chara just didn't feel like explaining that. Chara felt that one day they would disappear into each other and be Kris for real, as scary as it was... As much as she interrupted it like now by tossing Kris out again and again when it felt like it was happening. It felt like wasted time giving that story. There was no point, that world is far away and gone (maybe). There was also no way to promptly explain it...

"Don't "maybe" me! I'll deck you!-And don't run faster! Hey!"

Time was fleeting.

There was a hollowness inside without a soul, especially without Kris. But somehow this ghostly person could still...feel good in the company of Susie. Even with mistakes, it felt like everything would be okay. Maybe she was not so unlucky, maybe the luck was Kris. Kris who represents the two of them, their agreed upon wish, their agreed upon name, their shared suffering... and the shared good times.

But as it stood, maybe this would be the time to feel in control for awhile before trying to be reborn as Kris again. And again and again and again...-


End file.
